For all the methods that we have that are meant to help people keep fit and lose weight, walking probably remains the best and easiest form of cardio exercise. Although it’s a low-impact workout, you don’t need any special training to do it, yet it still helps in burning calories! But do you need to spend hours to realize the benefits of walking? Well, you can’t just spend the entire day walking. But then again, knowing how long it takes to walk a mile can be of great help, especially in planning.
How long does it take to walk 3 miles
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How long does it take to walk 3 miles? Well, an average person can walk 3 miles in an hour. This means that it takes about 20 minutes to cover a mile. This will, of course, depend on the obstacles you may encounter along the way and how fast you walk.
So are you planning to walk 3 miles? Do you need to know what it takes to walk three miles in an hour? In this insightful article, we’ll show you everything you need to know about putting one foot in front of the other and covering 3 miles in an hour.
Is It Possible to Calculate Your Walking Speed
Your walking speed is one of the main factors that can affect how long it takes to cover 3 miles in an hour. Of course, some people will be faster or slower and this can be influenced by a couple of factors such as age, gender, health, and the level of fitness as we’ll discuss below.
If you’re planning a day out walking, it’s important to be able to calculate how many minutes it takes to walk a mile. Naturally, people tend to walk at 3.1 mph. However, here are some factors that might affect your walking speed.
Factors that Might Affect Your Walking Speed
These factors include:
Age
It’s a no-brainer that it can take a toddler over two hours to walk just two blocks and we aren’t talking about a toddler’s walking speed. However, it’s even more surprising that lively 20-somethings tend to walk at a slower pace than their 30-something and 40-something counterparts.
But when we reach our fifties, the walking speed tends to slow down. Instead of using the average 3.1 mph, it will take a senior half an hour to walk a mile and an hour and a half to complete the three miles, that’s of course if the energy is still there. So if it takes an average person about 20 minutes to walk for a mile and an hour to walk for three miles at an average speed of 3.1 mph, then it would take a 75-year-old 30 minutes to cover a mile and 90 minutes to cover three miles at a speed of about 2.1 mph.
Gender
Unsurprisingly, gender also plays a significant role in your walking speed. According to a study, men tend to walk faster than women. This is not only because of their high testosterone levels but also because men tend to have slightly longer legs than women.
On the contrary, things tend to shift as both gender age. Older women who are in menopause tend to walk slightly faster than their male counterparts. This is because women are said to gain some testosterone levels when they reach menopause and might have more energy to walk faster than their male counterparts.
That being said, it takes a man an average of 19 minutes and 43 seconds to walk for a mile which means that he can walk 3 miles in 59 minutes and 15 seconds. On the other hand, it takes a woman 20 minutes to walk for a mile and about an hour to walk for 3 miles.
Pace
Your pace is another important factor when calculating how long it takes to walk 3 miles. Are you walking, strolling, or steaming down the pavement? The pace that you choose to walk will hugely influence how long it takes to walk three miles.
Here are some figures to help you put your walking pace into perspective.
· Easy: 60 to 79 steps per minute (20 minutes per mile)
· Moderate: 80 to 99 steps per minute (15 minutes per mile)
· Brisk Pace (Fast Pace): 100 to 119 steps per minute (11 minutes per mile)
As such, it can take you an hour to walk 3 miles if you’re walking at a relaxed pace, you’ll cover the same three miles in 45 minutes if you’re walking at a normal pace, and 33 minutes to walk 3 miles if you’re walking faster than normal.
The Terrain
The terrain that you choose to walk in can also influence how long it takes you to cover the 3 miles. For example, it will take you less time to walk on a flat surface than if you’re walking up the side of a mountain. The idea here is that there’s more resistance and more energy used when climbing a mountainside or a hill. This is because your body takes a hit from air pressure, which then causes more friction hence slowing down your pace.
Your Weight and Fitness Level
Your walking speed can be determined, in part, by your weight and fitness level. Needless to say, your walking speed can be a bit slower if you have more weight. On the other hand, you can walk at a brisk pace (walking faster than you would normally), if you’re fit. This is because your level of exertion will be much higher as you’ll have no problems with your heart and a faster breathing rate.
In short, it will take you longer to complete three miles if you carry more weight than an average person.
Weather
Sometimes the weather can also affect your walking speed. Of course, we all have no control over the weather so you just have to accept what it offers and just walk your way to good health. But even with that, your walking speed might be affected if it’s too hot or too cold. Something in between can be the ideal weather for walking.
How to Calculate Your Walking Time
If you’re walking as a form of exercise, it would be imperative to calculate your walking time and determine whether you can walk 3 miles in an hour. So how do you calculate your walking time? Well, you can choose to use the good old-fashioned stopwatch or even depend on the digital stopwatch on your phone to help you calculate your walking time.
There are also modern apps such as FitBit, and MapMyRun that can help you in measuring the miles covered and pace more easily and accurately. You can as well consider investing in brand digital wristwatches such as Apple and Garmin to help you calculate your pace, walking time, and distance covered accurately and with ease.
You have to keep in mind that timing yourself is key if you’re planning to participate in an organized walking event or if you just want to stay healthy. It’s also essential if you want to know how much time it takes you to cover a given distance.
How to Train to Walk Longer Distances
When it comes to walking longer distances, the most important thing is to remain consistent and make walking a routine. As a beginner, you can put more focus on the frequency of your walking routine. You can start by indulging in relaxed daily walks before gradually adding time and pace; probably after a couple of weeks.
The perfect thing to do would be to walk for 20 minutes in the first week, 25 minutes in the second week, 30 minutes in the third week, and increase the minutes gradually as your body gets used to it.
Is Walking for 3 Miles Healthy?
You’re probably wondering; how much walking do I need to walk to stay fit and healthy. Well, it may depend on several intertwining factors. But according to CDC, walking at a brisk pace (faster than normal) can be a moderate physical activity if you do it for about 30 minutes a day.
This is, of course, a lot less than walking 3 miles a day. As such, walking for 3 miles a day in an hour is healthier and a lot better than what CDC recommends. By walking 3 miles in an hour every day, you’ll be on the right path towards achieving your fitness goals.
You should, however, consider walking as a supplemental exercise especially if you’re trying to lose weight. This is because walking alone cannot cover all the bases that you need to lose weight. With that in mind, you should consider combining your walking routine with a smart workout program and healthy eating if you want to attain better results a lot faster.
Final Thoughts
Walking is unquestionably one of the easiest exercises to indulge in if you want to attain or maintain a healthy regime. When you walk, both your skeletal system and cardiovascular system operate in tandem, which will then relax your muscles and energize your body if you do it regularly.
Although an average person can walk three miles in an hour at a relaxed pace, you can steadily increase your pace. With time, you’ll be able to walk at a brisk pace and even cover three miles in less than 35 minutes. This will, of course, take time but consistency is key. Remember; walking has many health benefits including your over fitness, improving your memory, decreasing the risks of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, lowering your blood pressure, and boosting your moods.
